Playground
by Inky Hula
Summary: "It'll be okay, Brie," he whispered into her hair, right above her ear. "You've always got me."


_**Disclaimer:** I do not own High School Musical._

* * *

She took angry, measured steps, occasionally slowing to grasp onto a swing and shake the chains violently, or kick the see-saw so it swung wildly out of control. She climbed the monkey bars and felt the strain in her arms, her body not as light as it was when she first discovered the playground a few years ago. She bit her lip hard at the burn on the backs of her bare legs as she slid down the slide.

The crunch of a footstep on the mulch alerted her to the presence of another person. Her eyebrows immediately drew together and all thoughts of her mother disappeared, only to be replaced by fury at the thought of someone discovering her spot.

Gabriella's head snapped up and her eyes met the curious gaze of a boy with startling blue eyes.

"Hi," he said, not breaking eye contact. "I'm Troy Bolton."

* * *

Earphones jammed in, she turned up the volume and enjoyed the blast of Fall Out Boy in her eardrums. She kicked her legs wildly, randomly, so she twisted and turned in her swing without actually swinging back and forth. She kicked and kicked and kicked until her legs ached and then she just sat and stared into the trees.

Suddenly, two hands pushed her back and she almost fell off the swing, only barely grabbing onto the chains to keep her body from falling. The scream was lost in a gasp that quickly disappeared. She needed to regulate her breathing or else she'd start crying again.

"Hey!" Troy greeted cheerfully. His smile disappeared when he took one glance at her face. "God, Brie, what happened?"

"Nothing," she snapped. "You only scared the shit out of me and almost made me fall off the swing." She looked away from him, down to the brown mulch. Absentmindedly she pushed a few pieces around with her foot.

He squatted so he was at a lower level than her. "Brie?" he asked again, peering up at her face.

He knew that she would continue to try and steel her resolve. But then something in her crumbled and she broke down once more.

Troy opened his arms and she collapsed within his embrace. Choking out, taking huge gasps of air amidst wails, she cried, "She's marrying him"—another few gasps—"Oh god, Troy, she's marrying him."

He held her, stroked her hair, rubbed her back, didn't make a comment when tears and snot soaked his T-shirt.

"It'll be okay, Brie," he whispered into her hair, right above her ear. "You've always got me."

* * *

"Playground later?" He asked her, unable to stop staring at the girl wearing a beautiful dress in front of him.

She nodded, still solemn, her face still unreadable.

A few hours after they'd waved her mom off in a shower of rice and well-wishes, he had stripped off the tux and threw on a T-shirt and basketball shorts. He hurried to their spot.

She was already there, lying down on the slide, looking heavenward. He grinned when he saw her identical T-shirt, from their junior class trip.

He leaned over her and brushed a kiss against her parted lips. He breathed in her steady exhales, keeping their mouths close, not even an inch apart.

"Troy," she whispered. His eyes refocused on hers while still feeling that heady sensation, the one he'd been feeling for almost three years, only more intensified now.

"I want her to be happy."

"Mmm…" he hummed and laid down on the slide adjoining hers. His hand reached over and grabbed hers, caressing her knuckles.

She grasped their hands to her chest. Her next sentence was so soft he could barely hear.

"But I don't want to let her go."

Troy turned on his side and saw that the tears were once more welling up in her eyes. She took another breath, preparing to say something else, but he cut her off with a passionate, yet comforting kiss.

His lips moved smoothly over hers, caressing with infinite care. Her eyelids closed and she returned the passion and desire. He made her realize, he made her forget, he made her whole.

"I love you." One more whisper floated into the starry sky.

"I love you."


End file.
